Well, their deaths could be a DoT effect, you know... or armor break effect...?

I'm just stating probablilities.

Either way this episode is good in my eyes. Kirito presented a good philosophical issue to munch on. Asuna is cute. The man's expression looks splendidly done. But, if there's no <<Pain>> in game, doesn't that mean that the man who got hit with <<Guilty Thorn>> was faking it? Or exaggerating it? Or was it that uncomfortable?